"Sword Intent?"
Kuina and Zoro spoke almost simultaneously, staring at Arashi with excitent and confusion.
"Yes. Sword Intent."
"Sword Intent represents the artistic conception of the sword—the very realm a swordsman steps into. Intent is the unity of form, spirit, emotion, and reason. It harmonizes the real and the unreal—the tangible and the intangible. It exists both beyond the sword and within it. It is an extrely high realm.
"When you touch Sword Intent, nothing in this world will be able to stop you from walking the path toward becoming the strongest."
As his words fell, Arashi suddenly raised his right hand and reached out and grasped the air.
Whoosh—
With that motion, a fishing rod not far away flew up instantly and landed steadily in his hand.
In the next mont, an invisible and overwhelming Sword Intent burst outward like a sudden whirlwind sweeping across the ground, passing by Zoro and Kuina in an instant.
Arashi's voice continued.
"Sword Intent is when a swordsman's understanding of the sword reaches an unprecedented realm!"
The overwhelming Sword Intent caused Arashi's clothes to flutter even though there was no wind.
Under the shadow of his straw hat, his eyes shone with a sharp, domineering brilliance.
The aura surrounding him pressed down on Zoro and Kuina like a towering mountain.
If Arashi hadn't restrained the release of his Sword Intent, the two children might already have dropped to their knees in reverence.
"Only after mastering Sword Intent can swordsmanship truly evolve in battle—giving birth to Sword Montum, Sword Energy, and Sword Radiance!"
Looking at the two children standing before him with eyes full of awe and fanatic admiration, Arashi suddenly stepped forward.
"Watch closely."
The mont the word "closely" left his mouth—
Arashi leapt into the air.
At the sa ti, the fishing rod in his hand descended in a terrifying downward slash filled with overwhelming pressure.
Slash—
A strange yet dazzling arc cut across the sky, following the arc of the fishing rod.
It shot forward and vanished into the bundle of fishing rods Zoro had tied together earlier.
Crack!!!
Before Kuina and Zoro could react, dozens of tightly bound fishing rods suddenly snapped apart.
"S-So amazing…!"
Looking at the neatly severed rods, Kuina and Zoro's eyes widened in absolute shock.
Using just one fishing rod to slice through dozens of rods tied together—
This completely exceeded their understanding.
They had never imagined that such sharp and domineering swordsmanship could exist in the world.
"What cut those rods… was not the object in my hand."
As if he had read their thoughts, Arashi tossed the fishing rod aside and explained calmly.
"What truly cut them… was Sword Energy."
"S-Sword Energy?!"
The two children stared with longing eyes.
The swordsmanship Arashi displayed had already far surpassed their imagination.
And at that mont, they finally understood what the word "strong" truly ant.
"Mr. Kairo D. Arashi…"
Zoro stepped forward, clenching his fists tightly.
"Can you stay here… and teach us swordsmanship? I want to beco as strong as you!"
Hearing this, Kuina also wanted to ask Arashi to stay.
But she rembered that Arashi was a traveler.
Even if she managed to make him stay for a while, he would eventually leave.
So she gently pulled Zoro back.
"Zoro, don't make things difficult for Mr. Kairo D. Arashi."
After a brief pause, Kuina looked up at Arashi seriously.
"Mr. Kairo D. Arashi… will we et again soday?"
"Yes."
Arashi answered firmly.
Hearing that, the tension in Kuina's heart finally relaxed.
She smiled brightly and spoke as if making both a promise and a life goal.
"When I beco strong, I will follow Mr. Kairo D. Arashi's footsteps and travel across every corner of this world!"
"The na—Great Swordsman Kuina—will echo all the way to the heavens!"
" too! too!"
Zoro hurriedly spoke up.
"I'll beco even stronger than you! I'll beco the world's strongest swordsman!"
A new journey began.
After staying in Shimotsuki Village for more than ten days, Arashi bid farewell to Koushirou, Kuina, and the green-haired Zoro.
Then he set sail leisurely from the dock in his small boat.
"Mr. Kairo D. Arashi!!! No matter where you go, please don't forget!"
"Shimotsuki Village has a female swordsman nad Kuina!"
Standing on the dock, Kuina could no longer hold back her tears as she watched Arashi leave.
Although they had only spent ten days together, those ten days had been the happiest of her life.
More importantly—
Arashi's appearance had turned her frustration into hope.
Without exaggeration, Arashi had beco a guiding light in her life, illuminating a future she once believed impossible.
Beside her, Zoro bit his lower lip tightly, trying not to cry.
Yet tears still stread down his face.
If possible, he truly wished Arashi would stay in Shimotsuki Village and teach him swordsmanship.
What Arashi didn't realize was that his short ten-day journey in Shimotsuki Village had not only changed Kuina's fate—
It had also planted the seed of strength deep within Zoro's heart.
Under the golden glow of the setting sun, Arashi stood at the bow of his boat and waved back toward Kuina and Zoro.
"Kuina, green-haired kid—keep working hard!"
…
Shells Town
A massive Marine battleship slowly entered the harbor of Marine Base 153.
On the dock stood a neatly organized Marine formation.
Leading them was a middle-aged Marine wearing a Colonel's coat.
As soon as the warship docked, the Marines on the pier began boarding in disciplined order.
But just as they were about to step aboard—
A figure suddenly appeared on the deck.
"It's Morgan!"
"Damn it—what happened to Morgan?!"
The Marines were instantly stunned by what they saw.
The Marine standing on the deck was covered in blood.
His jaw had been completely shattered, leaving his face horribly deford and terrifying.
"C-Colonel… sir…"
Dragging his battered body to the edge of the deck, Morgan threw a corpse down onto the dock.
Then he spoke weakly.
"Your subordinate… has fulfilled the mission…"
"I finally captured the pirate… Kuro of a Hundred Plans…"
The mont he finished speaking, Morgan collapsed onto the deck and lost consciousness.
"Quick! Take Morgan for treatnt!"
The Marine Colonel imdiately gave orders while walking toward the corpse.
When he saw that it was indeed the pirate Kuro, whom they had repeatedly failed to capture and who had caused them heavy losses, he burst into loud laughter.
"Morgan has done a great service!"
"He must be rewarded!"
Clearly a man who believed in rewarding rit, the Colonel imdiately announced loudly:
"Morgan has made a great contribution by capturing the pirate Kuro. From this mont forward—"
"He is officially promoted to Ensign of Marine Base 153!"
User Comments
0 comments from readers